Hello Willie,
You would be best served by leaving some of the front taper, I would suggest cutting at 12-14ft and if you are at liberty to choose between wf or dt, I would go with a t/t sinking line and just match up the cut end of your sa to where a match is with the t/t.(heavy end) I hope this makes sense.

wulf triangle taper =t/t You would do the same for a wf or dt just match up the diams. but the heavier of a tip that you want, the more you must cut off of the taper of the sa line. But by leaving some of the taper you will have a smoother casting line and the triangle taper would enhance that even further.

If you haven't already taken the drastic step on the chopping block, there is an alternative that leaves your line intact. Over the past two seasons Dana and I have been experimenting with "poly-leaders" made by Loop and Airflo (and a number others just recently on the market). These are mono core leaders covered with tungsten to provide the weight, they come looped and I think they are the cat's ass! I attached a heavy butt section to my fly line and tie a loop 3-4" down, to which I loop the poly-leader and add a 4' section of tippet. Now the regular front taper turns over even the poly-leader and it sinks like mad due to its thin profile. They come in every sink rate from Hover to type VI. I can hit bottom in any water I would normally expect to catch a steelhead in with standard tips and the true bonus it is casts like a regular floater, but gets down like a tip! We have not used the standard sink tip since we started experimenting. These are very cool.

Hi
I've been using these for a couple of seasons now but I don't think they get down enough. Also the river flow is quicker at the top so a long floater tends to come round quicker. This is on of the reasons I fish a full sinker, but I am willing to try one of your long sink tips to see how it compares with an intermediate.

Hi Fred et al.
Having read my thread again I see what you mean. What I meant to say was someone caught a fish on the opening day on the Tay. Lucky B gger I was busy working I do not get lunch hours? like yours Fred.